2010 Recent Sightings
26th February : Thorley Wash - 13 Pheasant, 1 Coot and 2 Little Grebe on the river, 3 Stockdove, 3 Reed Bunting, 6 Meadow Pipit and only 3 Wren.... no sigh of Barn Owl but Badger track along the length of the east-west footpath. : Tednambury Marsh - 1 Cormorant over South between Blach-headed and Common Gulls, 13 Meadow Pipit along with 11 Yellowhammer, 9 Reed Bunting, 27 Magpie and 60+ Fieldfare. Also 4 Litle Grebe on river - Graeme J. Smith : N W Bishop's Stortford - Sparrowhawk (1 Male) - Chris Swan : Bishop's Stortford - Red Kite (1), Seen at approx 15.00 p.m. fairly high over Barrels Down Road heading south. - Jim Fish per Chris Swan 25th February : Spellbrook (west) - 6 Skylark over South at Lunch, c.210 Fieldfare (150 on North Field and 60 West) - Graeme J. Smith 24th February : All Saints Close - Robin singing at 0200 hrs - David Arch : Patmore Heath - Tawny Owl calling 13:30. - Mick East : Stansted Airport Lagoons - very few birds but 4 Tufted Duck and 5 Little Grebe - very full water still - Hatfield Forest Lake - 4 Pochard, 3 Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Cormorant swimming and fishing, 3 Great Crested Grebe, Mistle Thrush singing, new tern raft being rowed out - David Arch : Southern Country Park - Water Rail heard, Grey Heron down to water and Little Owl at South-east corner before 0530 Hrs : Thorley Church - male Tawny Owl callingly persistently from Northern perimeter : Thorley Wash - 2 Water Rail, 2 Woodcock arriving from North at first light and 1 BARN OWL all before 0630 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith 23rd February : Broxted - Merlin, Fine male on post at side of Thaxted - Broxted road at 12.30 p.m. - Chris Swan : Thorley Wash - Barn Owl noted by colleague flying around Wash and landing on roundabout posts just before 0600 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith 22nd February : Thorley Park Road, B/S - 13 Siskin on niger seed feeder together with 2 Goldfinch - Tony Moverley : Patricia Gardens BS - 2 male Blackcaps feeding off fat balls in my garden; whilst recently my next door neighbour has reported the 2 males and a female, and 2 male Bullfinches. David Sampson : N W Bishop's Stortford - Siskin (2), Lesser Redpoll (2), Bullfinch (3 (2 M + 1F)), Greenfinch (1), All seen together on a well stocked series of feeders in a private garden. - Chris Swan 20th February : Blackcap female seen in garden in Newtown Road. Another female seen frequenting a garden in Bentley Road.- Mike Franklin 17th February : Spellbrook (west) - 1 Herring Gull N, 1 Teal W, 30+ Redwing East with 15+ Fieldfare, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Common Buzzard South - Graeme J. Smith 15th February : All Saints Close, male Blackcap in the sunshine 0900 - David Arch : Broadleaf Avenue, Thorley Park - male Blackcap in garden again today - Chris Dee : Spellbrook (west) - 2 male Bullfinch - Graeme J. Smith : Honeysuckle Close - male Blackcap still - Kate Smith 14th February : Honeysuckle Close - Albanistic Blackbird a new addition to our garden birds - Graeme J. Smith : St Michaels Mead Lake - Water Rail, 4pm, water rail from mud into reeds, disturbed on our arrival. - Keith Watts 13th February : Broadleaf Avenue, Thorley Park - male Blackcap in garden - Chris Dee : All Saints Close - Peregrine across from Dane Park at 0900 caused everything to fly - : then two Mute Swans and then 2 Canada Geese flew south east north west - David Arch : River Stort, Bishop's Stortford - Kingfisher between the cinema and the new white footbridge - Graeme J. Smith : SAL (08:10-08:35) - 5 Little Grebe, 8 Mallard, 6 Teal, 26 Coot, c.15 Moorhen, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Bullfinch : SLRS (09:00-11:00) - 2 Cormorant, 3 Teal, 20+ BH Gull, 5 Common Gull, 2 Herring Gull (NE, Ad+1st.W), 5 LBBGull (blogging), 1 Mistle Thrush (S), c.20 Fieldfare, c.10 Redwing, c.10 Chaffinch, c.20 Goldfinch - Mike Harris 11th February : All Saints Close - Great Black-backed Gull north on the River Stort flyway at 0930 - David Arch : Spellbrook (west) - Ad male MERLIN Flew East across the South face of our factory perimeter, stopped for c.20 seconds in nearby tree before continuing flying off very low South-east. Also 1 Bullfinch - Graeme J. Smith 10th February : Hatfield Forest - Sunny walk between blizzards for resident Blackbirds, Long-tailed Tits and Great Spotted Woodpeckers near Takeley Street entrance - David Arch 9th February : Spellbrook (west) - Woodcock flew in from East looking to land along wooded ditch running east to west through factory grounds at around 0800 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith 6th February : SAL (08:10-08:40) - 3 Little Grebe, 31 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 8 Teal, 1M Pochard, 14 Coot, 3 Green Woodpecker, And the following heard only: Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Fieldfare, Robin (3), Chaffinch (2). : SLRS (09:00-11:00) - 1 Cormorant, 1+ Canada Goose (heard in fog), 1 Mallard (heard in fog), 1M Teal, 26 BH Gull, 2 Common Gull, 1 Ad LBB Gull, 2 G S Woodpecker (1 drumming), 8 Skylark (2 singing), 10 Fieldfare, 5+ Redwing, 10 Magpie, 10+ Chaffinch, 20 Goldfinch (1 singing) - Mike Harris : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Feeding at top of Ash tree on northern boundary of reserve, Woodcock, Flushed from vegetation on peatbank to immediate south of entrance gate- Andrew Sapsford 5th February : Honeysuckle Close, B/S - Male Blackcap in our garden again - Graeme J. Smith : Lords Avenue, BS - Blackcap, Male - Andrew Palmer 4th February : Rushy Mead N.R. - Siskin, 30 Siskin in Alders. - Colin Wills per Chris Swan 31st January : SAL (08:00-09:00) - 5 Little Grebe, 47 Mallard, c.80 Teal (10 on the lagoons, then a pigeon shooter disturbed the Teal pool and flushed c.70, many of which came onto the lagoons.), 5 Tufted Duck (all drakes), 1M Pochard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 21 Coot, 12 Moorhen (quite a drop in numbers), 1 Common Snipe, 1 Golden Plover (heard only), 1 BH Gull (S), 23 Common Gull (N), 5 Herring Gull (N, 4Ads & 1 1st.W), 1 Ad LBB Gull (N), 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Redwing, 1 Blackbird, 1 CHIFFCHAFF,2+ Long tailed Tit, 1 Jay, 13 Jackdaw (SW), 2 Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Bullfinch - Mike Harris 30th January : Honeysuckle Close, B/S - male Blackcap still in our garden - Graeme and Kate Smith 28th January : Stansted Airport lagoons - Little Egret and 4 Pochard. 24 Teal, 24 Mallard, 12 Coot, 12 Moorhen, 3 Little Grebe. - David Arch 24th January : Hazel End - Common Buzzard, One bird heading towards Mountfitchet : Dogden Lane, Manuden - Bullfinch, One female in hedgerow - Mark Pegrum 23rd January : Butt Lane, Manuden - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (male), Feeding on peanuts in garden - Mark Pegrum 22nd January : Trims Green - 1000 Fieldfare. View from the bend in the road just SW of Sweetdews (TL 462 168) on Sacombe Ash Lane, birds were feeding on the field looking NE towards Morris Farm (Shingle Hall) at 1315 Hrs : Hayter, Spellbrook (west) - Tonights Goldfinch roost containing a minimum of 183 birds - Graeme J. Smith : Sheering Mill Lock, Lower Sheering - Male Merlin. Flew quickly through lock, turned in front of my car and flew for a few yards in front about 3 ft from the road, then veered sharp right and carried on south along the river - Andrew Sapsford 20th January ' : Spellbrook west finch roost - Goldfinch roost reaching an overwhelming 230+ birds but Greenfinch are unbeleivably still in single figures. Also 1 Grey Wagtail over North (or north from factory roof) - Graeme J. Smith '''19th January ' : Spellbrook Lane West, Spellbrook - 1 Brambling amongst c.15 Chaffinch - Graeme J. Smith '''18th January : Thorley Park Road, B/S - 7 Siskin on niger seed feeder this morning.- Tony Moverley 16th January : Grange Paddocks, River Stort - 1 Lesser Redpoll feeding with charm of 14 Goldfinch in alders and on the towpath - Tony Moverley :SAL (08:40-09:40) - 3 Little Grebe, 69 Mallard, 26 Teal, 9 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck (MMF), 1F Pochard, 19 Coot, 1 Snipe (heard only), 4 Skylark (3E, 1SW), 2 Fieldfare (E), - Mike Harris : Manuden - Barn Owl, On post by Stortford Road, just south of village - Mark Pegrum :Note: The Bishop's Stortford 2007 Hoopoe is included in Appendix 1 of that year's Rare Breeding Birds in the UK Report. Present from 24th April to 18th May 2007 the entry on page 50 of the January 2010 issue of British Birds records the bird being present during the breeding season and does not claim breeding rather merely that the bird was in suitable habitat and might have bred if a suitable second bird happened also to be present during that period. Which, regrettably, did not happen. 14th January : Lords Avenue, BS - Brambling, Presumably the same bird that frequented the area just before Christmas.Also on 13th - Andrew Palmer : Causeway carpark/grange paddocks area - Little Egret, Flying along Stort river c 9am. - Jon Dean, via Keith Watts 13th January : Start Hill, Takeley - Bullfinch, 3 male, 1 female Bullfinch in trees opposite Start Hill Petrol Station - Ellen Franklin :NW Bishop's Stortford - Tawny Owl (2), Two Tawny Owls calling at 8 p.m. in the vicinity of Maple Avenue.- Chris Swan 12th January : Thorley Hill, B/S - Neighbour reports a Blackcap frequenting rear garden. Tony Moverley 11th January : Hayter, Spellbrook (west) - A Little Owl calling at 0645 Hrs, Female Sparrowhawk hunting West at 1015 and a Kingfisher flying East parallel to the Spellbrook stream at 1320 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith 10th January : Spellbrook lock, River Stort - A total of 12 Little Grebe (7 north of Spellbrook lock and 5 south). Plus female Bullfinch and 1 Water Rail (showing well preening out in the open). Tony Moverley :Honeysuckle Close - 23 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare incl resident bird still. Also 1 Male Blackcap with many more winter thrush on Oriole Way - Graeme and Kate Smith 9th January : Upwick - Merlin (F) flying down hill in front of car, carrying prey - Mick East : SAL (08:40-09:30) - 4 Little Grebe, 4 Cormorant (S), 2 Mute Swan, 16 Canada Geese, 30 Mallard, 37 Teal, 2 Wigeon (both drakes), 1M Pochard, 1 Tufted Duck, 17 Coot, 2 Common Gull, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit (heard only), 1 Redwing, 11 Blackbird, 15 Fieldfare (9SW, 6 feeding), 1 Goldfinch (heard only), 5 Yellowhammer (N), - Mike Harris :River Stort, town centre to Three Horseshoes for lunch - a dozen or more Coot, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Cormorant, Kingfisher, 200 Wood Pigeon in trees at Thorley Wash, at 1535 a large and straggling flock of Rook and Jackdaw west over old A11, 24 Black-headed Gull in town as usual, Kingfisher at Twyford Lock. Mallard, large dark feral Mallard with whitish head, Kestrel, Moorhen, Collared Dove, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare 8, Song Thrush 2, Redwing 8, Long-tailed Tit 3, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch - David Arch 8th January : Allen's Green - Peregrine(M), hunting by paint ball track 14:50 - Mick & Brenda East :Southern Country Park - 2 Little Owl on SE corner, 100 yards West of Obrey Way bypass roundabout on fence and seen on my way to work just after 0700 Hrs. Spellbrook (west) - pale Common Buzzard still Honeysuckle Close - 1 resident Fieldfare on 2nd day terrorising Blackbirds, few Redwing and a high count of Goldfinch with 8 at once - Graeme and Kate Smith 7th January : Southern Country Park, south-east of Church Lane - 5 Meadow Pipit.- Chris Dee :Hayter, Spellbrook (west) - c.500 Woodpigeon feeding between Spellbrook and Thorley Church, the Goldfinch Roost at the Left hand side as you look up the Hayter entrance drive reached a really good c.110 birds, a pair of Bullfinch and 1 pale-rumped Common Buzzard hanging around North Field returned depite being flushed - Graeme J. Smith :Honeysuckle Close, B/S - 1 Fieldfare in our garden all day, occasionally joined by upto 8 Redwing - Kate Smith 6th January : Hayter, Spellbrook (west) - Goldfinch roost only numbering around 30 as we left early at 1500 Hrs and at Lunch an unusual 7 Skylark over South Trims Green - 1 Brown Hare, 15 Fieldfare low East Oriole Way - 25 (+) Redwing and 16 Fieldfare favouring the entrance to The Brambles - Graeme J. Smith 5th January : Thorley Park Road, B/S - 1 Redpoll with 7 Siskin and 8+ Goldfinch on niger seed feeder in garden. Tony Moverley : Farnham - Bullfinch X 6 - Mick East :Thorley Wash - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the poplars on the south bank of the Wash, 2 Water Rail; at least 6 Teal (on the backwater); a Treecreeper, 1 Woodcock, and a Muntjac.- Dave Sampson :Hayter, Spellbrook (west) - Goldfinch roost reaching c.90 birds at around 1600 Hours, 1 Kestrel, only 3 Redwing and 1 Fieldfare as the bushes here have been stripped - Graeme J. Smith 4th January : Sawbridgeworth Marsh (15:15 - dusk) - 2 Cormorant (south), 1 Buzzard (?male), 2 Water Rail, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, only c.35 Woodpigeon, 38 Meadow Pipit (in), 46 Jackdaw (south), 4 Crow, 1 Jay, 5 Reed Bunting (in). - Chris Dee :Spellbrook Lock - A Water Rail seen in a roadside ditch and at least two Bullfinches calling nearby. - Tony Moverley :Trims Green (Morris Farm buildings) - Little Owl calling in darkness at 0700 also single Golden Plover heard - Graeme J. Smith 3rd January : SAL (08:30-09:30) - 6 Little Grebe ,98 Mallard, 1F Teal, 13 Gadwall, 1F Tufted Duck, 1M Pochard, 1 Common Buzzard, 14 Coot, 8 BH Gull (N), 11 Common Gull (N), 3 LBB Gull (N), 1 Ad Herring Gull (N), 1 LITTLE OWL (daylight hunting - hard times?), 2 Green Woodpecker, 300 Wood Pigeon (field west of lagoons), 1 Pied Wagtail, 7 Meadow Pipit, 3 Fieldfare (N), 2 Blackbird, 1 CHIFFCHAFF (in bushes by northern pumping station), 3 Starling (N) - Mike Harris :Spellbrook 12:45 - Bittern, one flew up from Tednambury Marsh by the River Stort this afternoon - Birdguides. :Stort Park Farm - 1 Little Owl, 1 Common Buzzard, 5 Green Woodpecker, 22 (+) Redwing, 8 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Jay, 13 Magpie is a considerable site count, 6 Wren on Stonechat corner all seemed to be claiming their patch and 1 Grey Heron over South has become a site regular since Autumn, favouring fish from SPF house pond and resting on SW lawn or field to the South. Honeysuckle Close B/S - 2 Mute Swan SE over my house is only one of a handful on my fly over list - Graeme J. Smith :Dane O'Coys Road near Whitehall and Cricketfield Lane by the cricket club - Green Woodpecker, GS Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest (2), LT Tit (7), Blue Tit - lots, Great Tit (3+), Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Plus lots of Jackdaw and a few Carrion Crow in the nearby fields. - Chris Swan 2nd January : Trims Green (11:15-11:30) - 321 Golden Plover (280 @ TL467177 & 41 @ TL472167) - Mike Harris 1st January 2010 : SAL (09:00-09:45) - 5 Little Grebe, 119 Mallard , 6 Teal, 4 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 AdF Sparrowhawk (chasing a Green Woodpecker!), 16 Coot, 1 Common Gull (W), 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Redwing (W), 2 Blackbird, 1 Starling (N), 3 Goldfinch (2W, 1NE), 2 Greenfinch (N) - Mike Harris :All Saints Close (1400 - 1600) All Saints Close - Great Tit, Blackbird, Collared Dove, : Road to Hatfield Forest - Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Jay : Hatfield Forest Lake - Green Woodpecker, Black-headed Gull, Teal, Gadwall, Robin, Magpie, Canada Goose, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Shoveler, Rook. : Takeley Street - Starling, Blue Tit, House Sparrow. Approach to SAL - Kingfisher in brook at Pinckneys, Goldfinch, Dunnock. SAL - Tufted Duck 3, Little Grebe 1, Carrion Crow - 27 species to open my new yerar account - David Arch. :Stort Park Farm (east) - 3 Fieldfare, c.25 Redwing, 1 Little Owl on usual tree - Graeme J. Smith